Animals That Start With Q: A Complete “Q Animals” Guide (With Fun Facts)

Compared with letters like S or P, far fewer English animal names start with Q—but the ones that do are really interesting:
from cute quokkas and spotted quolls, to colorful quetzals, shy quails, hard-shelled quahogs, and reef-bright queen angelfish.

This guide is written to match real search intent for “Animals That Start With Q”:

• A quick list of Q animals by group

• An overview table (class, habitat, diet, fun facts)

• Detailed profiles of well-known animals beginning with Q

• FAQs: pets that start with Q, dangerous Q animals, and ecologically important Q animals

You can use this as part of an A–Z animal encyclopedia, a school project, or an SEO-friendly article for a wildlife website.

Quick List of Animals That Start With Q

Here’s a fast reference list of animals that begin with Q, grouped by type.

Mammals

• Quokka – a small wallaby from Australia

• Quoll – spotted carnivorous marsupial

• Quelea (Red-billed quelea is a bird, not a mammal—just noting so you don’t confuse it)

• Quagga – an extinct subspecies of plains zebra

• Quarter Horse – a domestic horse breed (if you include breeds)

Birds

• Quail (California quail, Japanese quail, bobwhite quail, etc.)

• Quetzal (Resplendent quetzal and relatives)

• Quail-plover (African buttonquail species)

• Queen of Bavaria conure (also called golden conure)

Reptiles & Amphibians

• Queen snake

• Queensland lungfish (often listed with fish but an ancient group on its own)

Fish & Marine Animals

• Queen angelfish

• Queen triggerfish

• Queen parrotfish

• Quillback rockfish

• Quillback (carpsucker) – North American freshwater fish

Invertebrates (Insects & Others)

• Queen ant

• Queen bee

• Queen butterfly

• Quahog (hard clam)

• Queen conch

Next is an overview table of 15 representative “Q animals.”

Q-Animals Overview Table

Detailed Profiles of Key “Q Animals”

Now let’s look in more depth at some of the most recognizable and search-friendly Animals That Start With Q.

1. Quokka

• Class: Mammal (marsupial)

• Habitat: Coastal shrublands, woodlands and thickets, especially on islands like Rottnest Island off Western Australia

• Diet: Herbivore – grasses, leaves, stems, bark and some succulents

Key features:

• Quokkas are small wallabies, about the size of a domestic cat, with round faces, small rounded ears and short tails.

• Their mouth shape and big dark eyes make them look like they’re constantly smiling, which is why they often appear in “happy animal” photos.

• They are mostly nocturnal and can climb in low shrubs to reach leaves.

Fun fact:
Tourists love taking “quokka selfies,” but feeding or handling them is harmful and usually illegal—wild quokkas need native plants, not human snacks.

2. Quoll

• Class: Mammal (marsupial)

• Habitat: Forests, woodlands, heathlands and grasslands in Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea (depending on species)

• Diet: Carnivore – insects, small mammals, birds, reptiles and carrion

Key features:

• Quolls have pointed snouts, sharp teeth, long tails and coats marked with white or cream spots.

• They are mostly nocturnal and solitary, patrolling territories where they hunt by smell and hearing.

• Several species are threatened by habitat loss, introduced predators (like foxes and cats) and poison baits meant for other animals.

Fun fact:
Before European cats and foxes were introduced, quolls were some of Australia’s main small predators, filling ecological roles similar to weasels.

3. Quail

(Here we’re talking about quails in general, such as California quail, Japanese quail, and Northern bobwhite.)

• Class: Bird

• Habitat: Grasslands, shrublands, farmland edges and open woodlands across many regions of the world

• Diet: Omnivore – seeds, grains, leaves and a variety of insects and other small invertebrates

Key features:

• Quails are small, plump birds with short tails and a habit of walking or running rather than flying.

• Many species are ground-nesting: they hide nests in thick grass and rely on camouflage.

• Some quail species (like bobwhites) are known for distinctive whistling calls that sound like their names.

Fun fact:
Domestic Japanese quail are commonly raised for eggs and meat, and their speckled eggs are a popular food in many countries.

4. Quetzal (Resplendent Quetzal)

There are several quetzal species; the resplendent quetzal is the most famous.

• Class: Bird

• Habitat: Humid montane cloud forests of Central America (e.g., Mexico to Panama)

• Diet: Mostly fruit (especially wild avocados), plus insects, small frogs and lizards

Key features:

• Males have brilliant metallic green bodies, deep red chests and extremely long upper tail coverts that trail behind them in flight.

• Quetzals nest in tree cavities, often in dead or decaying trees softened enough to excavate.

• They are considered shy and are sensitive to habitat disturbance.

Fun fact:
The quetzal is so culturally important that it appears in ancient Mesoamerican mythology, in modern national symbols, and even as the name of Guatemala’s currency.

5. Quagga (Extinct Zebra)

• Class: Mammal (equid – horse family)

• Habitat (historic): Grasslands and scrub in South Africa

• Diet: Herbivore – grasses and other low vegetation

Key features:

• The quagga was a subspecies of plains zebra with a unique coat pattern: striped on the head and neck, fading to a mostly plain brown body and pale hindquarters.

• It lived in herds and shared much of its ecology with other zebras and grazing animals.

Why it’s important:

• The quagga was hunted to extinction in the 19th century for meat and hides, and because it competed with livestock.

• For years, scientists debated whether it was a separate species or a zebra subspecies; modern genetics shows it was a plains zebra variant.

• The “Quagga Project” in South Africa is selectively breeding plains zebras with quagga-like patterns to recreate similar-looking animals, though the original quagga is gone.

6. Queen Snake

• Class: Reptile (snake)

• Habitat: Clean, rocky streams, rivers and creeks in the eastern United States and parts of Canada

• Diet: Very specialized – mainly freshly molted crayfish

Key features:

• Queen snakes are slender, usually olive-brown or gray, with pale stripes along the body and a lighter underside with dark markings.

• They are semi-aquatic, spending a lot of time in or near water, basking on branches or rocks and diving to hunt.

• Their strong preference for soft-shelled crayfish makes them quite sensitive to water quality and crayfish abundance.

Fun fact:
Because they depend on healthy crayfish populations, queen snakes can act as indicators of stream health—if the water is polluted, both crayfish and queen snakes decline.

7. Queensland Lungfish

• Class: Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish / lungfish)

• Habitat: Slow-moving rivers, backwaters and billabongs in Queensland, Australia

• Diet: Snails, worms, crustaceans, insect larvae and some plant material

Key features:

• Queensland lungfish have thick, eel-like bodies, fleshy fins and a single lung-like organ used to gulp air.

• They usually breathe with gills, but in low-oxygen water they can surface to take air breaths.

• Their lineage is extremely ancient; lungfish are more closely related to tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) than to many modern fish.

Fun fact:
Some captive Queensland lungfish have lived for many decades in aquariums, making them living “time capsules” of vertebrate evolution.

8. Queen Angelfish

• Class: Fish (marine angelfish)

• Habitat: Coral reefs and reef edges in the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea

• Diet: Primarily sponges, plus algae, tunicates and other small invertebrates

Key features:

• Queen angelfish are among the most colorful reef fish: electric blue bodies, yellow highlights and a blue “crown” or halo on the head.

• They usually occur in pairs or small groups and patrol territories on the reef.

• Juveniles sometimes act as cleaner fish, picking parasites off larger fish.

Fun fact:
Their vivid color pattern makes them popular in the aquarium trade, but collecting wild fish and damaging reefs is a concern—sustainable practices are very important.

9. Queen Triggerfish

• Class: Fish (triggerfish)

• Habitat: Rocky reefs and coral reefs in the Atlantic, especially the Caribbean and eastern Atlantic islands

• Diet: Sea urchins, mollusks, crustaceans and other invertebrates

Key features:

• Queen triggerfish have flattened, oval bodies with bright greens, blues and yellows, plus bold patterns along the head.

• They have powerful jaws and teeth for crushing hard-shelled prey like sea urchins.

• Their name comes from the “trigger” dorsal spine that can be locked upright and then released by pulling a second spine—useful for wedging themselves into crevices.

Fun fact:
By eating sea urchins, queen triggerfish help protect coral reefs from over-grazing, playing a role in maintaining reef balance.

10. Quahog (Hard Clam)

• Class: Mollusk (bivalve)

• Habitat: Sandy and muddy bottoms in shallow coastal waters of the western North Atlantic

• Diet: Filter-feeds on microscopic plankton and organic particles suspended in the water

Key features:

• Quahogs have thick, heavy shells that are often used for chowder, clam bakes and other seafood dishes.

• They live buried in the sediment, drawing water through a siphon to filter out food.

• Some individuals grow very slowly and may live for many decades.

Fun fact:
Extremely old individuals of related clam species have been recorded at well over 100 years old, making them some of the longest-lived invertebrates.

11. Queen Butterfly

• Class: Insect (butterfly)

• Habitat: Meadows, grasslands, gardens and desert areas from the southern United States through much of Latin America

• Diet:

• Caterpillar: mostly milkweed leaves

• Adult: nectar from flowers, plus other nutrient sources like damp soil

Key features:

• Queen butterflies are close relatives of monarch butterflies, with similar orange-and-black patterns but usually darker and with different spot arrangements.

• As caterpillars they feed on milkweed, storing plant toxins that make them unpalatable to many predators.

• Adults are strong flyers and important pollinators for various wildflowers.

Fun fact:
Because queens and monarchs look alike and both are distasteful to predators, they reinforce each other’s warning signal—this is called Müllerian mimicry.

Frequently Asked Questions About Animals That Start With Q

How many animals start with the letter Q?

There is no single official number, because:

• New species and common names are still being described.

• Some Q names refer to groups or roles rather than species (like queen ant or queen bee).

However, there are dozens of recognized “Q animals” across different groups, including:

• Mammals: Quokka, quoll, quagga (extinct), various horse breeds like Quarter Horse

• Birds: Quail, quetzal, quail-plover, Queen of Bavaria conure

• Reptiles & Amphibians: Queen snake, Queensland lungfish (often grouped with fish)

• Fish & Marine Animals: Queen angelfish, queen triggerfish, queen parrotfish, quillback rockfish, quillback carpsucker

• Invertebrates: Quahog, queen conch, queen butterfly, queen bee, queen ant

If you’re building an alphabet-theme animal site, Q is one of the “shortest” letters, but still gives enough species for a full, interesting page.

What pets or domestic animals start with Q?

There are fewer common pets that start with Q than with many other letters, but a few examples include:

• Quail – Japanese quail are often kept for eggs and sometimes as pets or ornamental birds.

• Quarter Horse – a popular riding horse breed, especially in North America.

• Queen of Bavaria conure (golden conure) – a bright yellow parrot kept by experienced parrot owners (subject to legal restrictions).

You might also see:

• “Queen” cats – the term “queen” refers to an adult female cat used for breeding, not a separate breed, but it still starts with Q in its role name.

Before getting any Q-animal as a pet:

• Check local laws, especially for birds and exotic animals.

• Research the space, enrichment and social needs (many parrots and horses need lots of time and room).

• Consider lifespan—parrots and horses can live for decades.

What dangerous animals start with Q?

Most Animals That Start With Q are not especially dangerous to humans, but a few can pose risks if mishandled:

• Quoll – can deliver painful bites if cornered or handled.

• Queen triggerfish – may bite divers if they get too close to nests; teeth are strong enough to hurt.

• Queen bee / queen ant – usually protected deep in a colony; worker bees and ants defend the queen aggressively, and bee stings can be dangerous for allergic people.

• Quahogs & queen conch – not “dangerous” in the usual sense, but can accumulate toxins from harmful algal blooms, making them unsafe to eat at times.

As always, wild animals prefer to avoid humans. Keeping a respectful distance and not handling wildlife is the best way to stay safe.

Which Q animals are important for ecosystems?

Even though Q animals are not as numerous as S or P animals, many are ecologically important:

• Quolls – native predators in Australian ecosystems, helping control insects, rodents and other small animals.

• Quail – eat weed seeds and insects, and serve as prey for larger predators like foxes, hawks and snakes.

• Quetzals – disperse seeds of fruiting trees in cloud forests, helping maintain forest diversity.

• Queen snake – helps regulate crayfish populations in streams and indicates good water quality.

• Queensland lungfish – part of unique Australian freshwater communities; also of major scientific interest for understanding vertebrate evolution.

• Queen angelfish, queen triggerfish, queen parrotfish – influence coral reef health by eating sponges, algae and urchins, which helps prevent reefs from becoming overgrown or overgrazed.

• Quahogs & queen conch – filter water and graze algae in coastal ecosystems, affecting water clarity and nutrient cycling.

• Queen butterfly (and other milkweed butterflies) – important pollinators and part of complex food webs involving birds, insects and plants.

Protecting these Animals That Start With Q and their habitats helps keep forests, rivers, reefs and coastal waters balanced and healthy.

By exploring this guide to Animals That Start With Q, you’ve met a whole set of unusual species: quokkas, quolls, quails, quetzals, quaggas, queen snakes, Queensland lungfish, queen angelfish, queen triggerfish, quahogs, queen conchs, queen butterflies and more.

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We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a Animals Top editor.